Endoscopic and laparoscopic surgical instruments are often preferred over traditional open surgical devices since a smaller incision tends to reduce the post-operative recovery time and complications.
A surgical instrument includes a handle portion and an end effector, the handle portion includes a stationary handle configured to be held by an operator, the distal end (the end that is closer to the operator is the proximal end and the end that is farther from the operator is the distal end) of the handle portion is connected with the end effector through an elongated portion, and the end effector includes an anvil assembly and a cartridge assembly including a cartridge for holding surgical staples.
The surgical instrument includes a cutting knife configured to cut human tissues of a surgical site, and the sharpness of the cutting knife is a key parameter for cutting and suturing.
However, generally, the cartridge assembly of the end effector is single use unit, while the cutting knife needs to be reused. The repeated use of the cutting knife would seriously affect the sharpness of the blade, thus reducing the quality of the surgery and increasing the risk of medical care.